Experience Tet, the Vietnamese New Year Celebrations in Australia

Tet, the
Vietnamese New Year is one of the most significant and popular festivals in
Vietnam. This annual celebration marks the arrival of spring, and according to
the Lunar calendar, this sacred festival takes place around late January or
early February. Tet is considered as an opportunity to pay respects to the
ancestors, get rid of any debts and bad fortune, and visit temples, family and
friends. The Vietnamese decorate their homes, buy new clothes, adorn the
streets with colored lights, enjoy delicious foods and delectable drinks and
put a firework display in the sky to end an already spectacular night.

This
traditional festival is so special for the Vietnamese people that they feel
extremely nostalgic and wish to travel back to their home country to have a
family reunion. However, not all those who are away from their homes have
favorable circumstances to come back and be a part of the festivities. But,
what if we tell you that you can make the most of the celebrations even if
you’re situated on the opposite side of the world. Yes, Tet is celebrated in
many countries and taking the merriment to a whole new level, Australia
commemorate the Vietnamese New Year in the most beautiful manner.

Tet Celebrations in Australia

The
Vietnamese community in Australia welcomes Tet keeping all the traditions in
mind. Since, there is stifling summer in Australia during the Tet holidays,
people have no choice but use plastic apricot and peach blossoms. However, the
attractive cockscomb, marigold and daisy prettify this holy occasion in
Australia. Sydney being the most populated metropolis in Australia boasts four
popular Vietnamese markets- Bankstown, Canley Heights, Cabramatta and
Marickville. Most of the store owners in these markets keep their shops closed
for Tet holidays. They believe that this is the best time to take a break after
working the year round.

Families
gather together and create a warm environment by paying respect to their
ancestors, enjoying the scrumptious Vietnamese food including pickled scallion
heads, lean pork paste, and pickled welsh onion, dancing the night away and
lighting the sky with picturesque fireworks. The Vietnamese people usually
visit temples to seek good fortune on the first day of Lunar New Year. On the
same day, big stores in the Cabramatta and Bankstown markets host Lion dances
to create a full-filled atmosphere, wish good luck and grab people’s attention
to the store. Not to mention, the Lion dancers are as talented as their
counterparts in Vietnam.

If you’re
after a Tet extravaganza, you won’t like to miss out on the Fairfield
Showground fair organized in Fairfield, a western suburb of Sydney. The fair’
booths are beautifully decorated, breathtaking Lion dances are performed,
tantalizing food is served, and recreational activities for kids adds to all
the excitement. The festivities are almost similar in all other areas of
Australia that has Vietnamese communities.

To ensure
that their families have a good time in Vietnam, many people send gifts back
home. Since sending cash is simpler thanks to all the reliable money transfer
options out there, the Vietnamese living in Australia prefers to send money to
Vietnam over gifts. One such great option is the Ria money transfer that not
just helps you put a smile on the faces of your family and friends by
transferring money at affordable rates but also provides an amazing discount
offer to its customers. All the customers get
a $1 discount while sending money in VND. All you have to do is use promo
code ‘VIETNAM.’ Not just this, after completing two transactions within the
promotional period, new customers are given a gift card worth $10. (The offer
is valid from 14th Jan, 2019 – 28th Feb, 2019).
It can be said that though the Tet celebrations are not as
authentic as in Vietnam, Australia certainly gives a feeling of a home away
from home. So, if you’re not able to travel back home to celebrate this
auspicious occasion with your family, there is absolutely no reason to feel
bad. Step out, the heavenly festivities in Australia will surely make you feel
close to your loved ones.